Smallholding

Smallholding is a play in two acts by Paul Slabolepszy. A play set on an arid smallholding, in which a father and his son terrorize a postal worker.

In this play a young Afrikaner stumbles upon a heartland he never knew existed. A desolate farm-plot on the edge of the East rand becomes the ultimate battleground between the urban and the rural, the future and the past. A cataclysmic, anarchic celebration of the frontier spirit.

The original text

Published in Mooi Street and Other Moves by Witwatersrand University Press (1994).

Performance history in South Africa

1989: After its run at the Grahamstown Festival (Rhodes Theatre) the play opened in the Nico Arena on 27 July 1989, presented by CAPAB Drama for Snap Productions, directed by Bobby Heaney, with Nicky Rebelo (Christiaan), Paul Slabolepszy (Pa), Martin le Maitre (JJ), Sello Maake ka-Ncube (Gideon), Kate Edwards (Evie), Louis Seboko. Set design Nadya Cohen, costume design Margo Fleisch, lighting design Paul Pamboukian, music Glynn Storm. Stage director Skip Wright, production stage manager and sound operator Merle Pretorius, lighting Jack Arnot.

1989: Presented by NAPAC at The Drama in September.

1989: Directed by Bobby Heaney, presented by Snap Productions in association with Michael Hunt at the Market Theatre in November, featuring Nicky Rebelo, Paul Slabolepszy, Louis Seboko, Martin le Maitre and Kate Edwards.

1994: Presented by PACOFS, directed by Pieter Brand with Nico Liebenberg (Pa), Petro-Nelise Trichardt (Evie), Cobus Fourie (JJ), Duma Mnembe (Gideon) and Hannes Potgieter (Christiaan) at the Observatory Theatre.

2005: A Young Directors’ Season Honours in Directing production of Smallholding was presented by Rhodes University Drama Department directed by Emily Stockil Aug-Sept 2005 .

Sources

Nico Malan Theatre pamphlets, Aug-Nov 1989.

Smallholding theatre programme, 1989.

Ruphin Coudyzer. 2023. Annotated list of his photographs of Market Theatre productions. (Provided by Coudyzer)

Volksblad 6 May 1994.

PACOFS theatre programme, 1994.

Petru & Carel Trichardt theatre programme collection.

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